Animated The one-way flow of energy and cycling of materials in the world of life

All living things:
Require ongoing inputs of energy and raw materials
Sense and respond to change
Pass DNA to offspring

Energy
Flows from the environment, through organisms, and back to the environment
At each energy transfer, some energy escapes as heat
Nutrient
Substance that an organism must have for growth and survival, and cannot make itself

Living things can be classified as:
Producers
Acquire energy and raw materials from the environment
Make their own food
Example: plants (photosynthesis)
Consumers
Cannot make their own food
Get energy by feeding on other organisms
Example: animals

Animated The one-way flow of energy and cycling of materials in the world of life. The photo (top) shows a producer acquiring energy and nutrients from the environment, and consumers acquiring energy and nutrients by eating the producer.